don't DO hate LOVE his MINE
by OreosAndMildHotSauce
Summary: 'She jerked back. Was she still afraid of me? Did she think I would ever hurt her?...Would I? Never. ' Derek's thoughts on Chapter 17 in The Reckoning. Spoilers. T for minor swearing.


Hello! This is Chapter 17 from The Reckoning. From Derek's point of view. So spoilers! :D But tell me what you think of it. I know someone, somewhere has probably already done this. But I've been working on this for some time now. Enjoy!

Also, Fanfiction won't allow the periods I put in the story. This is what I wanted the title to look like: don'...

I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

I was worried. Simon promised to be home before dark. I waited by the rear door, listening for their footsteps or voices. I could make a clean get away as soon as I heard them coming. I didn't want to see them. I never wanted to see them...together. (I'd hurt him) I heard the soft footsteps. But there was only one pair and only one scent; Chloe. I opened the screen door, moving quickly towards Chloe. She looked around quickly but kept walking.

"Where's Simon?" I snapped. Chloe just pointed towards the woods. Rage filled me.

"He left you? Out here? At night?" What the hell was Simon thinking? Leaving Chloe alone when we were being hunted? _Calm, Calm. Think rationally. Don't let _**it **_take control. _

" He dropped something." She mumbled, trying to get past me. "He isn't far." I moved in front of her. My hulking figure blocking her path.

She's crying. "You're crying?" I voiced my thoughts. "No, I-" Her eyes flew from mine. It felt vacant when her pale ocean blue eyes were gone. Blue eyes that were leaking. "Just dust. From the path. Simon's that way" Chloe tried to get past again. I craned my neck to look at her face. She wouldn't let me.

I grasped her chin, gently. Like, I was six again and Simon was showing me how to catch fireflies. She jerked back. Was she still afraid of me? Did she think I would _**ever **_hurt her?...Would I? (Never.) "You _have _been crying." My voice was soft. I was trying to make it seem less intimidating...and more comforting. Like Simon did. (But you aren't Simon. Better than Simon.) At the thought of Simon, I realized who made Chloe cry. Simon. All I saw was red. What had he done to her?

"What did Simon-" My cheeks reddened. Simon was my brother and a great guy. He would never do that to Chloe. Or any other girl, for that matter. It was the wolf. Jealous and possessive. "What happened?" I asked. "Nothing. It just didn't work out." Her voice was soft.

"Didn't work out?" What did she mean? How could it not have? "Why?"

"Talk to Simon." Talk to Simon? I don't want to talk to Simon. I only want you! "I'm talking to you. What'd you do to him?" She stiffened. Shit.

"I screwed up. Again. You're shocked, I'm sure. Now let me go inside-" Then, it could be fixed. "What'd you do, Chloe?" She sidestepped. I sidestepped. "You like him, don't you?" Let the answer be yes, please god. (No, no. Let it be no.)

"Yes I like him. Just not..." Shit. "Not what?"

"Talk to Simon. He's the one who thinks..." No, Simon doesn't know. He can't. I've been careful.

She stepped. I blocked. "Thinks what?"

"That there's someone else." Relief and intense panic seeped into my heart.

"Who?" No, no, no! Simon doesn't. He doesn't think that we-she would ever...not when Simon is there. No, she'd never. It wouldn't work. "Me? Simon said her thinks you and I are-"

"No, no that. He knows we aren't-" I sigh in relief. (in anger) "Good. So what _does _he think?"

"That I like you." Oh, God. Oh, God. I just gaped at her tiny form. My hear felt like it was suddenly filled with hope...and dread. A candle was being stuffed into my heart. Its heat warming, yet stinging my heart. (Mine) Not mine. Never mine. Can't be mine.

"I don't. _I don't._" Good. (Didn't feel good.) "You better not." Because you can't. You can't, Chloe Sanders. No beasts for you, Chloe, only handsome, strong hunters. "You'd better not, Chloe, because Simon likes you." I can't cause him more pain. Nor you, Chloe. No pain for either of you. Only happy unicorns and rainbows and comics and everything I can't give you.

"I know" (Don't.)

"Simon's had girls calling him every day since he was twelve. They follow him at school. They even talk to me, trying to get to him. Cute girls. Popular girls." Girls like you. Girls who don't even come close to you. Unattainable girls. Girls who are better than you in every way. "So I should be thrilled that a guy like him even looked my way, right?" No, Simon's the one who should be thrilled. "Course not. I didn't mean-"

"Oh, I know what you mean. I should count my blessings that I happened to be around when his choices were, well, none, really, because otherwise I'd never have stood a chance."

"That's not-I never said." Shit. No, no. You always stood a chance. You're gorgeous. "Whatever." Chloe wheeled away from me, turning to the other pathway, unblocked by me. I had to stop her. Make her realized. Simon was 'The One' for her. I cut her off.

"Simon likes you, Chloe. Yeah he's dated a lot of girls. But he _really_ likes you, and I thought you like him back." Her head was pulled down, not looking me in my eyes. "I do. Just not...not like that, I guess." (Yes.) No. NO. Rage was boiling over in me. "Then you shouldn't have let him think it _was_ like that."

"You think I led him on? For what? Kicks? I don't have enough excitement in my life, so maybe I'll tease a nice guy, get his hopes up, then laugh and skip away? How could I know how I felt until we went out and-?"

And? Please, please, don't let that be _the _and. (Growl.) I forced myself calm and the growl down deep, deep, _deep _inside my bulking, chest. I stood motionless as she turned and started walking towards the woods. (No. No woods) "Where are you going?"

"You won't let me go into the house. I'm sure Simon doesn't want me around him either. So it seems like I'm gong to take a moonlight stroll in the forest."

"Oh, no, you're not." I jumped right in front of her. "You can't go wandering around alone at night. It's not safe." Chloe raised her head. Her blue, clear, eyes were brightened by the moonlight. Her eyes screamed defiance. I knew she wasn't backing down. But she was also hurting. I'd better let up. Sure as hell, though, I wasn't letting her off in the woods alone. (What if she got hurt?)

Chloe kept looking at me. Her blue eyes staring me down. Her small features were luminous by the light. Her perky, tiny, nose and her soft, thin, eyebrows outlined her big, no, _huge_, baby blues. I traveled down her jaw bone, a soft jaw line, a smooth chin, and her lush, perk, lips.

A soft pink, a healthy color. I wanted to make them a ruby red; big and swollen. (Do it. She's right there. Vulnerable.) Chloe turned away from me before I was able to make a decision. "I'll be careful. No dead will rise tonight. Go back inside, Derek."

"You think that's all I'm worried about? The Edison Group-"

"Could be camped out there right now, waiting for us to venture into the deep, dark woods. If you believed that, you'd never have let Simon go out." Damn. She knew me too well. (Not well enough.) "I didn't like it. But he promised you'd be back before dark, which is why I was at the door, getting ready to come find you two."

I caught her arm. A flash back to that day in the basement of the Lye home. I let go, like she wasn't a necromancer but a fire demon. I grabbed her sleeve. "Just-" Idea! I paused, flaring my nostrils. I stared into the forest, like something or _someone_ was in there. "Don't pull that." Chloe's little musical voice stopped my charade.

"Pull what?"

"Pretending you smell something out there." Crap. She knows me too well. When did that happen?

"No, I thought-" I inhaled again and shook my head. "Nothing, I guess. Just-" I rubbed the back of my neck. She was too good. I was terribly hot for such a cold night. I shouldn't have worn a long-sleeve. Sigh. I'm not going to get anywhere with her.

"Fine, take a walk." She set out, walking in the yard. I followed her, staying ten paces behind her. I kept my eyes on her feet. "Derek..." I hadn't even noticed she had turned around. I'm off my game today. "I need some fresh air. Go on." I replied. She went another twenty feet, turned and stopped. I stood there, trying not to give away my feelings.

"Fine. I'll go in the house. You can track down Simon before the Edison Group snatches him." She walked past me. I could smell her. (Sooo good.) I had to make sure she'd stay inside. When I finally was satisfied with her safety, I went to find my brother.


End file.
